Balanced railroad crossing gate



March 14, VARCHETTA 1,901,680

BALANCED RAILROAD CROSSING GATE I Filed Sept. 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR BY Gearqe Kvmhefla W TTOR/VE y March 14, 1933. G. VARCHETTA BALANCED RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 4, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N PM March 14, 1933- G. VARCHETTA BALANCED RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 4, I 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet By George par/mam A TTORNEY March 14, 1933- e. VARCHETTA I BALANCED RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 4, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet ll mas A TTORNE) Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED "STATES am-em OFF C BALANCED nainnoan onossnve GATE,

T3 .v v a 1 I GEORGE VARCHETTAQOF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK close by gravity, and releases the weight as it, leaves permitting the Weight to drop and raise and open the gate.

10 The object of the invention is to provide a railroad crossing gate which automatically closes as a train approaches and opens'as the train leaves.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic gate operating mechanism in which the gate closes and is opened by gravity. v Another object of the invention is to provide a gate operating mechanism in which both the gate and operating mechanism are balanced. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate operating mechanismhaving a counter-weight on the gate in which the counter-weight automatically adjusts its position on the gate to permit the gate to lower 40' the track adapted to be engaged by a memher on a train, levers adapted to raise said segment counter-weight as the roller .is moved by a train, cables connecting the seg v ment to the gate permitting the gate to lower as the segment counterweight is raised,

Application filed September 4, 1931. Serial No. 561,167.- 7 p a latch holding said segment counter-weighty in the raised position, meansreleasing said a latch as the last car of the trainleavesthe crossing, and an automatically operated sig-;.

ings, wherein I I Figure 1 is a' general outlineview on a 5'5 condensed scale showing the -,relativ,e positions of the gate andoperatingdevices. r Figure 2 is ageneral plan view also show-' i in g the relative positionsof the parts.

Figure 3 atraiin .1 Figure 4 is a detail 'showing thefsection of rail-which operates the latch for raising and opening the gate as the train passes.

t Figure 5 is a section thru the operating segment ta-ken; approximately. on line "5-5- of Figure 6'. 1

Figure 6 is an endelevation showingthe' operating segment with the ,holdingvlatcli 7 housing in section; V Y A Figure 7 is a cross. section thru the operat-' ingiroller mounting f Figure 8 is alongitudinal sectionthrirthe operating rollermou'nting showing aside elevation of the operating segment. l "Figure 9 is a plan view showingtheinechanism for operating the a segment counter, weight holding latch as the trainpasses. 1 Figure 10'is a sectionjthru the mechanism shown in Figure 9 with parts broken away;

Figure 11 is'a detail showing. a section-'{of' rail with a guide-bar in which the-raiLtis made in sections which are normally elevated andare forced downward as thetrain passes ver," -.1 Figure '12 isa similar'detail showingyarr alternate design in which the rail is solidv i and the operating section forced downward by the wheel flange; a

is va V ew showing the position 60 i or the operating member on vone element of Figure 13 is a view showing a compressor with a whistle and apparatus for automatically starting and stopping the same.

Figure 14 is a section thru the whistle starting mechanism.

Figure'15 is a detail showing a cross section thru the operating lever of the whistle start ing mechanism.

In the drawings the device is shown as it would be made wherein numeral 1 indicates a gate,'numeral 2 the operating segment, and numeral 3 acam that operates as the. last car of a train passes to release the mechanism which raises and opens the gates.

The gates 1, which may be of any design" or arrangement, are positionedon'both sides of the track 4 and pivotally mounted in stands 5 on pins 6 and their inner ends are provided with segments 7 having cable grooves 8 in their outer surfaces as shown. Arms 9 are also pivotally mounted in the stands-5 on pins-1O above the pins 6 and these" arms are provided with slots 11 in which counter-weights 12 areheld on pins 13,

and at the outer ends of the arms are bolts 14 extending across the ends of the slots to clamp'thesides tog-ether to hold the counter weights in any desired position. It will be noted that thecounter-weights may be positioned so that the gateswill balance in any position, and as the counter-weight arms are pivoted above the gate pivots the counterweights; automatically move outward ;a

I The position of the weights may be adjusted .justed as desiredto greater distance from the center asthe gates lower so that the" movement of the gates will be retarded: and theywill lower with ease.

to obtain smooth easy movement of the gates, and a'rprojection 15 may extend from the lower: corner of the segment which projection'may engage a stop 16 on the stand to stop orlimit the movement of the gates. It

will be understood that any other desired type ofstop may be used and it may be positioned at any desired point or points." Other pins 17 may also extend thru the slots 11 so that additional weights 18' may be placed on them as shown in'Figure .2, and thesepins maybe'lo'cated at any desired points and adobtain proper balanceof the gates. Y

- A cablel 19 i theipoint 20rand this cable extends in the groove 8 and around a-pulley 21 positioned at the gates, along the tracks, and over pulleys 22 and 23 to the operating segment 2 to which'it isattached at. the point 24. r The cablemay also. passaround pulleys 25 and- V 26 'tobring it. close: to the rail if desired.

The operating segment maybe made as shown in Figures 5 and 8 with straight bars thru thecenter and a'semi-circular memberattached to the ends of the straight bars. A groove 27 is formed in the semi-circular memberfor the cable 19, and a weight/'28 10- s attached to the segment 7 atcated at one corner'which will hold thesegment in the position shown in Figure 5. This segment is pivotally mounted on a pin, 29 at the upper end of a stand 30 and is also held in the position shown by a counter-weight 31 which is mounted in a triangular shaped frame having arms 32 atone side, arms 33 I at the other, and a cross bar 34 connecting the arms. At the e ndsof the arms 33 is'a cross bar 35 which is engaged-by a bar 36 at the ends of arms 37 and the arms 37 are integral with bars 38 which are also pivotally mounted on the pin 29, so that as the arms 38 move forward they willdraw the arms 37 i and also the bar 36 which will move the triangular frame of theco-unter-weight and raise the counterweight. At the ends of the arms 37 are extensions 39 which have out-- wardly extending pins 40 that extend between bars 41 and 42 as shown in Figure 5. One end of each of the bars 41 is attached to a corresponding bar '38 and the other to a corresponding bar 42, and the other ends of the bars 42 are attached to bars 43, the opposite or lower ends of'which are fixedly mounted on a shaft 44 which is rotated by a roller that ispositionedin the path ofa train so that as the train passing the device moves the roller, the roller will rotate the shaft 44 and move the bars 43 from the position shown in full lines in Figure 5 to the extreme position shown in dotted lines as indicated by the'nuvIneral 45. It will be noted that the bars42 are provided with notches 46 that engage lugs 47 on the bars 43 so that as the bars 43 reach the position indicated by the dotted lines 48 the lugs '47 will raise the bars 42 to the position as indicated by. the dotted lines 49. It will be noted that as the shaft 44 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction it will move the bars 43 as hereinbefore described and these bars willv move the bars 42, 41', 38, and 37 to theirrespective dotted line positions and these will, in turn, raise the weight Thisstop 51 is pivotally mounted onthe pin 29 and has extensions at the sides which are connected to springs 52 thru straps 53,.bloclrs 54, and pins 55, so that as the members 32 of the weight frame engage the stop 51it will give slightly and prevent asudden stop or shocln The pins 55 are held in bearings 56 and, stops 57 areprovided belowthe bearings to limit the downward movement of the pins.

These parts and frames'may also be of any other design and arranged in anyiother man The shaft 44 is rotated by a roller 58 in a frame formed by the bars 59 and 60', thru a member 61 which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 44 and which is engaged by a pin 62 mounted in the bars 59 and 60. It will be noted that as an inclined member v63 on the under side of the unit of atrain, as indicated by the numeral 64 and shown in Figure 3, engages the roller 58 and moves it and the bars 59- and 60 from the dotted line position 65 to the full line position shown in Figure 8, the pin 62 will move the member 61 to the full line position shown and this member will rotate the shaft 44 and the bar 43 and raise the weight 31. At the sametime the ends 66 of the pin 62 will engage projections'67 on side bars 68 and alsomove them to' the position shown in full lines in Figure 8. The roller 58istherefore freely mounted on the shaft 44 so that it may swing back to the dotted line position 69 when a train passes in the opposite direction or from the release cam 3 toward the crossing, and at the same time operate the device when the train passes travelling from the segment toward the crossing. A counter-weight 70 is also freely mounted upon the shaft 44 thru arms 71 and this will exert a pressure on the roller frame thru a pin 7 2 at the lower end and always return the poller to the upright position as soon as it is ree.

. At the outer ends of the sidebars 68 are swivel blocks 73 which are held by pins 74, and under the blocks are springs 75 which raise the bars, roller, and other mechanism to the normal position as soon as it is released. A stop 7 6 is also provided to limit the downward movement of the bars 68.

A latch segment 77 is also fixedly mounted on the shaft 44 as shown in Figure 5 and a latch 78 is resiliently held against its surface by a spring 79 and when the segment is ro-. tated by the shaft 44 a lip 80 on the segment will pass below the latch and the latchrwill snap. outward as shown in dotted lines and the lock formed thereby will lock the segment in the dotted line'position, thereby holding theshaft and other mechanism until the latch is released. On the upper side of the latch is a member 81 which has an opening 82 therein and a rod 83, having a collar 84 and a spring 85 thereon, passes thru the opening. As the latch moves to the dotted position it will move the collar and rod 83 and compress the spring 85, and when the rod 83 is drawn inthe opposite direction by a cable 86 the collar will engage the member 81 and draw the latch backward andrelease the. segment 77' p The cable 86 extends along the rail or thrua tube, as may be desired, to a pulley 87 having a gear 88 thereon and the gear 88meshes with, another gear 89 on a shaft 90, upon which the release cam 3 is mounted, as shown 7 in Figure 9, and it will be noted that as. the

cam is operated to rotate shaft 90 in aclock. wise direction the gear 89 will rotate gear 88' in a counter clockwise direction andpull the cable 86 to release the latch 78. The cam 3 has aslot 91 in one side with a protruding lip 92 at the lower edge and a lug 93 at the bottom which" forms a counter-weight and holds the cam in the full line'position shownin Figure 10. The lug 93 may engage a stop the sloping surface of thecam 3and compress the spring untilit snaps into the slot 91, and, then as the lugs 100 move upward and irew; lease the bars 97 a spring 101 on a pin 102; below each of the bars will force thebars up};

wardand raise; the bar which will-rotate the cam until the slot 91. arrives at thedotted.

line position at which the bar 95 will pass out: of the slot and permit the cam to return to theposition shown in full lines. This opera- 7 tion will rotate the gears and pull the cable 86 as hereinbefore described.

The lugs are mounted onse'ctions of rails 103 as shown in Figures 1 and 10 and these sections will be forced downward by a train passing over-the rails and will beheld downward until the last unitof the train 4 passes. v Adjoining the sectionsgl03 aresim'ia lar sections 104 bothof which are pivotally mounted at their outer ends bypins. 105 and downward as shown tohold. the sections. The abutting ends of the sections 103 and 104 attached to the other. .In this design the sections Y103 and 104 are cut from the track rail,'and it will be understood that the rail 106 to a guide bar 107 and each section is provided with a guideplate 108 which extends may'also be solid and the sections 103 and 104 mounted on; theinside as indicated bythe numeral 110, shown in Figure 12, and forced downward; by the wheel flanges as shown, or they may'be arranged in any other manner desired. The combined length of the sections'y103v and 104 should beabout equal to that of the engine; acar or any unit of the:

train so that the sections will remain down 1.20

until thelast unit of the trainihas, passed.

A signal or alarm'may also be. provided at the crossingto announce the'fact that a. train is approaching before the gates move downward, and it will be appreciated that 7 any suitable signal may be used and also'that it may be operated in anysuitable manner;

In Figures 13 and 14 apparatus isshown for, operating a whistle automatically by the train as the, train is a considerable. distance, w from the gate operating mechanism and sh1'1t 105 are held together by a hinge109which is fixedlyattached to one-section and pivotally,

vehicle;

ting off the-whistle as it reaches the gate operating mechanism. A lever 111-is.mount ed'some distance ahead of the segment 2 on shaft 115 is a pulley 116 that is in line with another pulley 117 freely mounted on the shaft 112. The lever 111 is formed with two bars similar to the bars 59 and 60 shown in 1 Figures 7 and 8, and is freely 'mountedon the shaft 112. These bars are provided with a cross member that engages a member 118 fixedly mounted'on the shaft so that as they H are moved forward they will rotate the shaft thru the member 118, and a similar counterweight may also be provided to return the lever to the upright position. A cable 119 passes over pulley 117 and is vattached to the v pulley 1'16 and as the pulley is rotated it will draw the cable and move a member 120 for ,ward'which will raise one end of a lever 121 and operate a whistle 122-on a com'pressor.

123 as shown. The whistle will continue to blow until thetrain reaches the segment 2 at which time it will strike the roller 58 and rotate the shaft 14 on which isalever 124 which isattachedto a latch 125 by a cable 126 as shown in Figures-7 and'13, and as the latch, which snaps over the end of a segment 36? 127 on the shaft 112 when the lever 111 is moved'forward to hold the shaft and'pulle y,

is drawn backward the cable 119'will be re' 4'5" 42' as they operate.

A-s'ignal light132 may also be provided adjacent the lever 111 as shown in Figure 1 and thismay be controlled by contact points 133and 134 on the'stem and housing of the contacts will close to complete a circuit thru the light to'light the same asa train'reaches and operates the segment 2, and the circuit will'remaincompleted until the last unit of the train -'passes'over and operates the earn 3, at'which timethe latch will be withdrawn and the circuit broken, This will provide a signal to a train following to warn the train that another train is at the crossing.- a

The train unit towhichthe bar 63 is at,-

tached a sjshown'in Figure 3 isshown as a, car;'ho wever,'1t'w1ll be understood that this.

bar may be. mounted on the engine or any other" 'unit 'ofsthe train or upon any other? a shaft 112 on which is a gear 113 that'meshes with a gear 111 on a shaft 115, and on the latch 7 8, as shown in Figure 5, so that the It will be, understood that other changes may be made in-the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. One V of which changes maybe in-the use of a I gate of any other type or description or of any combination of gates, another may be in the shape or design of the operating segment, another may be in the use of other means for raising the counter-weight inde-' pendent of the operating segment, another may be in the use of other means for releasing the segment holding latch, and still anstood from' the foregoing description. In use the apparatus may be installed as shownand described and it Willbe noted thatas a train approaches it will first engage the, lever .111

which will start the whistle blowing and the whistle will continue to blow until the train engages the roller 58 when it will release the f whistle operating mechanism, and at the same time raise the counter-weight 31" which will release the operating segment 2 and per mit the gates to lower, The weight 31 will be heldin this position by the latch'78 so.

that the, gates will remain lowered until the last'unit" of the trainpasses over the sections of rails operating the cam 3 at which time these sections will raise and permit the cam to operate to release the latch 78 and this will" release a weight31 which will exert a pressure on one end of-the segment 2 suflic1ent to return'th-e segment to the position shown. in full lines in Figure land at the same time raise the gates. It will be understood that the essential feature ofv this invention is in thebalancing of the operating segment and the gates and it will be noted that the weights 1 may be positioned, adjusted and regulated. so that-the parts will operate with a smooth easy movement. In the design as shown, with the weight 31 raised and the segment free, the segment and gates will come to rest with the gates lowered and-the segment in the po- 'sition shown in Flgure 8, and when the weight 31 is applied it will overbalance the segment and raise the gates. w

Having thus fully described the invention what i claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent,'is:-; 1 7. 7 1; In automatically operated railroad crossing gates, gates at the crossing, a whistlefat the crossing," gate operating mechanism" positioned ahead of the crossing, whistle operating mechanism positioned ahead of the gate operating mechanism, a train, means on 7 said train for operating said whistle operating mechanism to blow thewhistle and for operating said gate operating mechanism to lowerthe gates and silence the whistle, lock in meansholding said gate operating mechanism with the gates. lowered, and means releasing said locking means as the train leaves the crossing, said operating mechanism operating to raise the gates as the locking means is released.

2. In a gate operating device, in combination, gates, a gate operating segment, adjustable counter-weights on said gates, other adjustable counterweights on said segment, means connecting said gates and segment, said gates and segment adapted to balance in the free position with the gates closed, an independent weight adapted to act on said segment to raise said gates, means raising said independent weight to release the segment as a train approaches, and means releasing said Weight allowing it to act on said segment to raise the gates as the train leaves.

3. In combination, a balanced railroad crossing gate, means automatically adjusting the balancing parts of said gate to retard the movement thereof as the gate approaches the horizontal position, a balanced member cooperating with said gate, a weight adapted to be applied to said balanced member to raise said gate, a train, means operated by said train for relieving said balanced member of said Weight, and means adapted to operate after the train leaves the crossing to apply said weight to said balanced member.

4. In combination, a railroad crossing gate, a counter-weight slidable on said gate, means for manually adjusting the position of said counter-weight to balance said gate, a balanced member cooperating with said gate, a Weight adapted to be applied to said balanced member to raise said gate, a train, means operated by said train for relieving said balanced member of said weight, and means adapted to operate after the train leaves'the crossing to apply said Weight to said balanced member. V

5. In combination, a railroad crossing gate, a counter-weight slidable on said gate, mounting means for said counter-weight whereby it will move to a greater distance from the center to retard the movement of said gate as it approaches the horizontal position, a balanced member cooperating with said gate, a weight adapted to be applied to said balanced member to raise said gate, a train, means operated by said train for relieving said balanced member of said weight, and means adapted to operate after the train leaves the crossing to apply said weight to said balanced member to raise the gate.

6. In combination, a balanced railroad crossing gate, a balanced member cooperating with said gate, means for adjusting the balancing parts of said balanced member, a Weight adapted to be applied to said balanced member to raise said gate, a train, means operated by said train for relieving said balanced member of said weight, and means adapted to operate after the train leaves the crossing to apply said weight to said b'alanced memberto raise the gate. 1 I v a 7 In combinatiom-a balanced gatefa balanced member cooperating with-said gate,' z-a weight adapted to act'upon said balanced memberto raise said gate,'means for adjusting said Weight, means for raising -said Weight-and supporting it above said balanced member, and means for re leasin'gsaidwei ght.

-8. In combination, a balanced railroad crossing gate, a balanced member "cooperating with said gate, a weight adapted to be applied to said-balanced member to raise said'gate, I

a track, a train, an inclined member on the train, a member in said track adapted to be engaged by said inclined member, said track member adapted to relieve said balanced member of said weight as it is engaged by said inclined member, and means adapted to operate after the train leaves ,the crossing to apply said weight to said balanced member to raise the gate.

9. In combination, a. balanced railroad crossing gate, a balanced member cooperat-' ing with said gate, a weight adapted; to act upon said balanced member to raise said gate,

a track, a train, an operating member on said tram, a member in sa1d track positloned to be engagedby sa1d operatmgmembenmeans connectingsaid track member to said weight thru, which the wei ht' will be raised to relieve said with said gate, a Weight adapted to act upon ,1

said balanced member to raise said gate, a track, a train, an operating member on said train, a member in said track positioned to be engaged by said operating member, means connecting sa1d track member to said Weight thru which the weight will be raised to re-' lievesaid balanced member as the track member is engaged by said operating 'mem- V ber-,aneans locking sa1d connecting means with the weight raised, releasing mechanism for said locking means positioned beyond the crossing, and means for operating said releasing mechanism after thelast unit of the train leaves the crossing.

11. In combination, a balanced gate, a balanced member cooperating with said gate, a Weight adapted to act upon said balanced ,member to raise said gate, means for raising said balanced member asthe gate lowers, means for raising said weight above said balanced member allowing it to raise, means for releasing said weight, a whistle, means for blowing said whistle before said weight is raised, and means for stopping said whistle as the weight is raised.

12. In combination, a balanced railroad crossing gate, a balanced member cooperating with said gate, a Weight adapted to be applied to said balanced memberto raise said ,gate,' a' train, means operated by'said train for relieving said balanced member of said Weight, means adapted to operate after the train leaves the crossing to apply said Weight to said balanced member; means for. sounding an alarm before the tram operates the said relieving means, and means for stopping the alarm as the train operates the relieving means. 1

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

GEORGE VARCHETTA. 

